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{{Short description|Indian military title}}{{for|the surname 'Kotwal' |Kotwal (surname)}}{{Expand language|topic=|langcode=bn|otherarticle=কোতোয়াল|date=March 2023}}The Kotwal also spelled as Cotwal, or Kotval, was a title used in medieval and early modern period for the leader of a Kot or fort. Kotwals often controlled the fort of a major town or an area of smaller towns on behalf of another ruler. It was similar in function to a British Indian ZaildarBOOK, Massy, Charles Francis, Chiefs and families of note in the Delhi, Jalandhar, Peshawar and Derajat divisions of the Panjab,weblink 29 May 2010, 1890, Printed at the Pioneer Press, 407, From Mughal times the title was given to the local ruler of a large town and the surrounding area. However, the title is also used for leaders in small villages as well. Kotwal has also been translated as Chief police officer.BOOK, Saudā, Mirzā Muḥammad Rafiʻ, (Major), Henry Court, Selections from the Kulliyat, or, Complete works of Mirza Rafi-oos-Sauda: being the parts appointed for the high proficiency examination in Oordoo,weblink 29 May 2010, 1872, Printed by J. Elston, "Station Press,", 20–, The post of Kotwal was known since ancient times as Kota pala who was the chief of Police.BOOK, Shah, Giriraj,weblink Image Makers: An Attitudinal Study of Indian Police, 1993, Abhinav Publications, 978-81-7017-295-6, 95, en, Among members of the Koli caste, Kotwal is a title, derived from the occupation of fort-keepers or protectors of forts and village leader.BOOK, Somanaboina, Simhadri,weblink The Routledge Handbook of the Other Backward Classes in India: Thought, Movements and Development, Ramagoud, Akhileshwari, 2021-11-15, Taylor & Francis, 978-1-000-46280-7, New Delhi, India, en, BOOK, Rao, B. S. S.,weblink Television for Rural Development, Concept Publishing Company, 1992, 978-81-7022-377-1, New Delhi, India, Asia, 161, en, Even when a Koli man retired as a Kotwal, he and his descendants would use "Kotwal" as a surname as it signified prestige.BOOK, Shah, A. M.,weblink Exploring India's Rural Past: A Gujarat Village in the Early Nineteenth Century, Oxford University Press, 2002, 978-0-19-565732-6, New Delhi, India, 82–91, en, Kolis were Kotwal from the times of Mughal rule in GujaratBOOK, Khān, ʻAlī Muḥammad,weblink Mirat-i-Ahmadi: A Persian History of Gujarat, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Oriental Institute, 1965, New Delhi, India, Asia, 831, en, and were hereditary Kotwal of the royal palaces of Rajkot, Morvi and Bhavnagar Princely states.BOOK,weblink Vanyajāti, Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh., 1989, New Delhi, India, Asia, 26, en, Kolis of Maharashtra also served as Kotwal in Ahmadnagar Sultanate and controlled the forts.BOOK, Shyam, Radhey,weblink The Kingdom of Ahmadnagar, Motilal Banarsidass Publications, 1966, 978-81-208-2651-9, New Delhi, India, Asia, 376, en,

See also

• Faujdar
• Kiladar
• Castellan

References

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